Charged full difference for change of route excess

[Paul Kelly]

A friend of mine was just charged the full difference (£2.30 instead of £1.15, so not a massive financial loss) for a change of route excess from a NOT VIA LONDON ticket to +ANY PERMITTED at Clapham Junction. I'm pretty sure that's not correct, but is it a common occurrence these days?

 

[transportphoto]

Yes, it's correct if you're excessing both portions of the ticket, as would have been done here, otherwise no.

 

[LexyBoy]

Fairly common, yes.

Happened at Paddington (no surprises there ). Customer services were adamant that the correct excess had been charged but refunded eventually as "goodwill".

 

[Paul Kelly]

It was just the return portion (outward journey having already been completed and return journey in progress), and only one excess coupon was received. The original ticket was a Super Off-Peak Day Return, Reading Stations to Ewell West, with Network Railcard discount.

 

[SickyNicky]

From the iKB (the train operator's internal knowledge base): it should be HALF the difference.

National Rail Conditions of Carriage, Condition 13, permits customers to travel by a different route, from the one stated on the ticket or allowed by conditions of the National Routeing Guide, to make their journey on payment of an Excess fare. The Excess fare is calculated as follows:

Single tickets
The difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Single ticket, available for immediate travel, that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice

Return tickets - change of route in both directions
The difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Return ticket, available for immediate travel, that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice.

Return tickets - change of route in one direction only
Half the difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Return ticket, available for immediate travel that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice.

 

[Aeion]

Common mistake is putting the excess through as a change of ticket type which charges the full difference compared to change of route which as previously mentioned is half

 

[Paul Kelly]

Common mistake is putting the excess through as a change of ticket type which charges the full difference compared to change of route which as previously mentioned is half

Yes, I was thinking that yesterday evening. The original ticket was a Super Off-Peak Day Return, which exists on the "NOT VIA LONDON" flow set by South West Trains, but the "ANY PERMITTED" flow is set by First Great Western and doesn't have such a ticket type; the nearest equivalent is an Off-Peak Day Return. So maybe this is the root of the problem.

 

[tsr]

Common mistake is putting the excess through as a change of ticket type which charges the full difference compared to change of route which as previously mentioned is half

Exceptions where ticket types differ aside, I have no idea how you'd manage to do that on an Avantix except entirely by accident. The two options are right next to each other, written in relatively plain English, and are frankly as clear as day.

It could muddy the waters to do a change of ticket type in order to also change the route, as above. But simple excesses are a matter of being able to read a touchscreen. I am amazed when this escapes training or practice.

I do not use ticket office systems in any regular capacity so can't comment on those.

 

[plastictaffy]

Exceptions where ticket types differ aside, I have no idea how you'd manage to do that on an Avantix except entirely by accident. The two options are right next to each other, written in relatively plain English, and are frankly as clear as day.

.

Quite.

You could catch the worng button by mistake, I guess. In fairness though, if I'm doing an excess, I'm usually on the ball because the punter has either got the hump because he's being excessed, or he's asked me for advice on routing.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes, I was thinking that yesterday evening. The original ticket was a Super Off-Peak Day Return, which exists on the "NOT VIA LONDON" flow set by South West Trains, but the "ANY PERMITTED" flow is set by First Great Western and doesn't have such a ticket type; the nearest equivalent is an Off-Peak Day Return. So maybe this is the root of the problem.

I've heard it said that if you have to change two things you effectively have to do two excesses - in this case ticket type *then* route. So the full price of Super Off Peak->Off Peak would have to be charged, *then* the half of the route change. Not sure how that applies when one route is one ticket type and the other the other, though.

 

[bb21]

That will just be a change of route to the appropriate fare. One transaction.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That will just be a change of route to the appropriate fare. One transaction.

I guess some staff are misinformed, then (which is no great surprise, excesses seem to be somewhat of a dark art at times).

 

[bb21]

I think there may be different interpretations depending on how the excess is asked for. Both ways can be said to be correct as I see it but a change of route is how I'd ask, and it would be easier for the staff handling it too, if they are thinking along the same lines. A dark art indeed.

 

[Haywain]

That will just be a change of route to the appropriate fare. One transaction.

I agree, but in circumstances where the ticket type is not the same on both routes it is easy to see why the error occurs.